Brined Pork Porterhouse With Dried Fig Saba Sauce Recipes

GRILLED PORK PORTERHOUSE WITH AN APPLE-MAPLE-GINGER SAUCE

Steps:

• Twenty-four hours before cooking, stir all of the brine ingredients except the pork into 1 quart of water in a large pot and bring to a boil. Let cool to room temperature. Submerge the pork chops in the brine, cover and refrigerate.
• The next morning, prepare the infused oil: grind the coriander, bay leaf and peppercorns in a spice mill or a clean coffee grinder and combine with the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. Let sit at room temperature.
• Make the sauce: In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the shallots and sauté until caramelized, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the apple juice, chicken stock, star anise and ginger. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer until reduced by one-quarter. Add the maple syrup, vanilla pod and seeds and agar and simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Discard the star anise and vanilla pod. Purée the mixture in a blender or food processor, then pass through a fine-mesh sieve into a pan. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Prepare a charcoal or gas grill to medium-high heat. Rinse the meat and pat dry with paper towels. Brush the chops with the infused oil, then sprinkle lightly with salt. Grill to medium doneness, or until the internal temperature reads 135 to 140 degrees on a thermometer and the middle is light pink, about 6 minutes per side. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving. Drizzle with warm sauce and serve.

OYSTERS WITH A CLASSIC MIGNONETTE SAUCE

Steps:

• Stir together the vinegar, shallots and 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper in a small bowl. Let sit for at least 10 minutes to let the flavors combine. Drizzle the sauce over the oysters.

PORK PORTERHOUSE WITH SAUTéED QUINCE, APPLES, AND POTATOES

Steps:

• Submerge the pork chops in the brine and refrigerate for 24 hours.
• Light the grill 30 to 40 minutes before cooking, and remove the pork chops from the refrigerator. If they're still wet from the brine, pat them dry with paper towels. Take the quince paste out of the refrigerator and put in a warm spot to soften to a spreadable consistency.
• When the coals are broken down, red, and glowing, brush the pork chops with the olive oil and place them on the grill. Cook them on the first side about 5 minutes, rotating them a couple of times. When they have nice color, turn them over and cook another 4 to 5 minutes, rotating them once or twice. The pork chops should be cooked to just under medium. Peek inside at the bone; they should still be a little pink, and when you press them with your thumb, they should be springy.
• Arrange the hot sautéed quince, apples, and potatoes on a large warm platter. Scatter the dandelion greens over them. Slather the chops with the quince paste, and place them on top.
• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Toss the potatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, the garlic, thyme sprigs, bay leaf, and 1 teaspoon salt. Place in a roasting pan, cover with aluminum foil, and cook about 45 minutes, until tender when pierced. (Depending on the size, age, and variety of potatoes, cooking time will vary.)
• When the potatoes have cooled, peel them. Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise, and then place them, cut side down, on a cutting board. Cut each half crosswise into four or five wedges.
• While the potatoes are cooking, heat a large sauté pan over high heat for 2 minutes. Swirl in 1 tablespoon olive oil and wait 1 minute. Carefully place the apples in the pan, flat side down. Add 2 tablespoons butter, and season with 1 teaspoon thyme leaves, 1 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of black pepper. Turn the heat down to medium, and cook about 5 minutes, until the apples are a beautiful deep golden brown. Turn the apples over, and continue cooking until they're golden on the second side. They should be tender and cooked through. Transfer them to a plate to cool.
• Repeat this process with the quince. (They will take a little longer to cook.)
• Heat a large sauté pan over high heat for 2 minutes. Swirl in 2 tablespoons olive oil and wait 1 minute. Place the potato wedges carefully in the pan, and season with the remaining teaspoon thyme leaves, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and some freshly ground black pepper. Cook the potatoes about 8 minutes, until they are crispy on one side. (Don't try to move them or turn them if they are stuck to the pan; they will eventually release themselves if you're patient.)
• Turn the potatoes over, add another tablespoon olive oil to the pan, and season the second side with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook another 3 to 4 minutes, and then add the apples and quince. Cook a few more minutes, tossing well to combine. Taste for seasoning, and add the parsley.
• Brine the pork chops a day or two before serving. You can roast the potatoes and sauté the apples and quince in advance. Sauté the potatoes right before you grill the pork; you can keep them warm in the oven.

PORK TENDERLOIN WITH DRIED FIG AND MUSHROOM SAUCE

Steps:

• Place dry mushrooms in a heatproof bowl and pour boiling broth over them. Let stand to soften, about 30 minutes. Line a small strainer with a coffee filter and strain mushroom liquid through filter and into a bowl or measuring cup. Squeeze mushrooms to extract any excess liquid, straining into a container to reserve liquid. Rinse reconstituted dried mushrooms to remove any grit, pat dry with paper towels and finely chop.
• In a large skillet, heat a tablespoon olive oil and a tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat. Season pork on all sides with salt and pepper. Add it to pan and sear, turning it to brown on all sides, 3-4 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, cover and cook until medium-rare and internal temperature is 145-150 degrees F, 10-12 minutes. Transfer to a warmed platter and loosely cover with foil to keep warm.
• Heat a half tablespoon olive oil and half tablespoon of butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add shiitakes and cook until they release their juices and are tender and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, remove from heat and set aside. Heat remaining half tablespoon olive oil and half tablespoon of butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add shallot and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Add wine, reserved mushroom liquid and chopped figs, bring to a boil and reduce by half. Add wine reduction to skillet used to cook pork. Bring to a boil, scraping the pan with a wooden spoon to remove any brown bits. Stir in thyme and demi-glace, if desired. Add chopped porcini mushrooms. Remove pan from heat and swirl in the remaining tablespoon butter. Salt and pepper to taste. Cut pork into 1-inch thick medallions and return them to pan to heat through. Briefly return pan with mushrooms to heat to warm. Divide the medallions among four dinner plates. Spoon fig and mushroom sauce on top of medallions and top each portion with a spoonful of shiitakes.